Netflix takes home an Oscar with Icarus winning best documentary

05 . Mar . 2018

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Netflix has another reason to be happy about. Its sports doping documentary Icarus, won the award for best documentary feature at the recently concluded Academy Awards. The film directed by Bryan Fogel, premiered on Netflix on August 4 last year. It beat another film praising the controversial White Helmets in Syria’s Aleppo.

Besides this, Netflix’s Mudbound was also nominated for best adapted screenplay, cinematography (Rachel Morrison is the first woman nominated in this category), original song and supporting actress, but Netflix couldn’t secure an Oscar in either of these categories. Netflix’s competitor Amazon Studio too had a nomination. Amazon Studios’ The Big Sick was nominated for best original screenplay.

Icarus chronicles Bryan’s exploration of the option of doping to win an amateur cycling race and happening upon a major international doping scandal when he asks for the help of Grigory Rodchenkov, the head of the Russian anti-doping laboratory.

Prior to winning the Oscars, Icarus premiered at Sundance Film Festival and was awarded U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award (Orwell Award). Icarus director Bryan and producer Dan Cogan picked up their statuette at the award function held in Los Angeles.